The Black Road
by KaidaPoi
Summary: The year is AC 210. A terrorist organization called The Black Road has made itself known. But not all is as it seems, and a specialized group is brought back into action to deal with this threat. And though Duo Maxwell is included, the other boys are not.
1. A Prolouge of Sorts

**Author's Notes:** Hello, one and all. XD; Yes, I'm at it again. This time I've come up with what I think is a bit of a doozy. A random idea inspired by music and my love of the old World of Darkness RP system, I've created this. Just a warning - Though I will be pulling from Frozen Teardrop for background info (such as Heero and Treize's parentage), THIS DEVIATES FROM FROZEN TEARDROP. Big time. Heero was never frozen, etc.

**Disclaimer:** Gundam Wing belongs to Sunrise, Sotsu, Bandai, etc. Old World of Darkness belongs to White Wolf. Bai Mianxi, Morwen, and Glen are my brain babies.

**The Black Road**

by KaidaPoi

Chapter One: A Prolouge of Sorts

'_They think they have peace. But they have idea about the truth._' Amber colored eyes watched the crowd passing their owner, a lithe Chinese girl dressed in clothing best described as punk-gothic. Her hair was kept long, reaching her waist and unbound. She closed her eyes, breathing in and smiling slightly. "Shinigami." There was a chuckle as a Caucasian young man leaned against the same wall the girl was. He was tall, easily six foot, and slightly tanned. His cobalt eyes were amused and his chestnut-colored hair was nearly knee-length and kept tightly braided.

"What brings you here, Bai Mianxi?" The girl sighed and looked to him.

"It's time. Jacqueline is calling the sentai together again. We need our second Leaf. We need our Shinigami." The man nodded.

"Should have figured I wouldn't have peace for too much longer. Things have been the bad sort of quiet lately. Any Kinfolk Hilde and the kids can stay with? I'm not leaving them unprotected." The girl nodded.

"Jacqueline's Kinfolk is taking in the families. We're gathering in New Port City, in Sanc." The man frowned, but nodded again.

"Alright. I'll need to be careful than. I know people in Sanc who aren't part of my network. And though they're tough as nails...I don't want to test if they can stand up to a fomor or Black Spiral."

"Understandable. We shall keep this in mind." She moved away from the wall, as did the man, and they started through the crowd. "How are Hilde and your pups?" The man smiled.

"They're well. Hilde's been spending a lot of time with the kids since it's the down-season for the scrap yard. And she looks a lot happier for it. Morwen is still getting into everything, and Glen is trying to be rebellious...but he's too much of a momma's boy to really succeed at it." The girl laughed.

"Haven't changed a bit since I last saw them." The man smiled, and it wasn't long before he was letting them into a large apartment.

"Hey Hil, I'm home! Brought some company with me!" A dark haired woman peered out of the kitchen and smiled.

"Well! What a surprise, Bai! It's good to see you again." The woman turned to her husband. "Call ahead next time, Duo! You know wha-" Suddenly, two small forms burst out of a hallway and barreled into the Chinese girl, hugging her legs.

"Auntie Bai! We haven't seen you in person in a loooooooooong time!" The girl chuckled, pulling the children off of her and kneeling down.

"Well, I've been a very busy Fox. Buuuut...I have presents, if you'll forgive this Koryo her wanderings." The children, a boy no older than eight and a girl no older than six, nodded vigorously, and Bai started pulling wrapped boxes from the bag across her shoulder.

"I take it she's not here for all pleasure, Duo." The man looked to his wife, then sighed and nodded.

"Jacqueline is calling the sentai back together. We're gathering in Sanc." He moved to hold her smaller hands between his. "Hilde...Jacqueline's Kinfolk are taking in everyone's families. I want you and the kids with them."

"I know, Duo." He blinked. Hilde smirked. "I knew you'd end up recalled eventually. You're not the only one with contingency plans, Duo Maxwell. Your wife has a few herself, including a trained replacement to watch the scrapyard while we're gone." Duo laughed and hugged her.

"Smartest move I ever made was marrying you, Hil!" She laughed.

"Damn straight."


	2. Settling In

**Author's Notes:** The chapters will get longer and better as I get used to writing in this world in my head. Hopefully, I'll be able to capture what's in my head with words well enough. And for those who are fans of the other pilots...don't worry. They'll show up. 3 Just a warning - Though I will be pulling from Frozen Teardrop for background info (such as Heero and Treize's parentage), THIS DEVIATES FROM FROZEN TEARDROP. Big time. Heero was never frozen, etc.

**Disclaimer:** Gundam Wing belongs to Sunrise, Sotsu, Bandai, etc. Old World of Darkness belongs to White Wolf. Bai Mianxi, Kyoko Tenno-Akarui, Stick/Konbou Sosou, Jacqueline Courcel, Eveline Khushrenada, Treize Khushrenada the Second, Morwen, and Glen are my brain babies.

**The Black Road**

by KaidaPoi

Chapter Two: Settling In

"So who's meeting us?" Bai looked back to Duo, who was carrying his sleeping son. She smirked.

"Kyoko." Duo blinked.

"No way. The pint-sized punch buggy can drive now?" Bai nodded, laughing softly.

"Yup! She got her license a couple of months ago. She called me at four in the morning where I was and wouldn't stop gleeing about it. Kid has his license too, under the name Kimihiro Sosou. He and Stick have been working on some kind of project while I've been gone."

"SHINI! HIL! BAI! MUNCHKINS!" The two sleeping children in their parents' arms suddenly started awake, causing Hilde to groan just as a green and black blur glomped Bai Mianxi. The blur turned out to be an older Japanese teenager who had dyed her hair neon green and was dressed like a punk rocker in black and greens. The two children quickly wriggled out of Duo and Hilde's arms and joined in the hug.

"Puppy!" The girl giggled and transferred her crushing hug from Bai to just the two children, careful to tone it down a bit.

"Hey kidlets! You've gotten so BIG in three years! Why...I bet you'll be taller than me in NO time!" The Kitsune took deep breaths, watching her green-haired comrade get reacquainted with her 'two favorite Hellspawn'.

"I keep forgetting she's an Ahroun until she hugs me." Duo chuckled and pat her on the back.

"You're the one that recruited her, all those years ago." Hilde rolled her eyes.

"Only five years ago, Duo. Now come on, all of you. We've had a long flight, and we wanna avoid running into any of our other friends in the area. Kids, let go of Kyoko." The children pouted, but did as told. The teenager grinned and ruffled their hair before leading the group to get their baggage, then to her car.

"Boss-lady bought it for me, as an eighteenth birthday present! And Ashoka outfitted it with all sorts of hidey-holes for things, so I'm never unprepared for a fight while I'm ought and about." She moved to a dark green SUV and opened the trunk. "Duo gets shotgun, because he'll be in my rearview otherwise." The group got their luggage situated and everyone piled into the car, then started off. The trip was rather uneventful, save a near-miss involving a raccoon who apparently hadn't gotten the memo that the sun had been up for a couple of hours, and boredom was kept at bay by the occupants catching up on the things that couldn't be talked about over the phone.

After an hour of driving through New Port City, they reached a rather well-appointed house that was gated. Kyoko pulled up to the gate, and typed a number into the keypad, then whispered to it in an almost inhuman voice. The gate opened, and Kyoko drove the rest of the way to a garage with several other cars. Almost immediately, people came out of the house to help get luggage in or to maul the family with affection. One person in particular earned cries of 'Uncle Bou' from the two children. The skinny Japanese man was tackled by the two, letting himself be knocked over. He chuckled and smiled fondly at them, hugging them back.

"Hello, pups. Still energetic, I see. Keep your Dad and Mom busy, ya?" Duo groaned and nodded.

"You don't know the half of it, Stick." He then looked to a white-haired woman and bowed in the Chinese manner, as he'd learned it from Bai. "Jacqueline." The woman nodded, then bowed back.

"Duo." Then she held her arms out, slight smile on her face. "It's been three years. A shame you're so attached to L2." Duo smiled and hugged the woman.

"Just makes coming back to Gaia that much sweeter, Jackie." The two separated, letting Duo grab a skinny Asian teenager, giving the poor squawking boy a noogie. "And how're you doing, Kid? Steal any good shinies for Helios lately?" The boy wriggled out of his grasp and smoothed himself, looking for all the world like a bird made human.

"Always, Uncle Duo. Papa and Mama help sometimes, Mama especially when she's home." Duo nodded, then moved back over to his wife.

"So...who's the Kinfolk everyone's going to be staying with?" Jacqueline motioned for the group to file inside, brown eyes slightly amused.

"My younger sister, Eveline, and her husband Van Khushrenada." Duo blinked.

"Well...I finally get to meet Treize's brother. This oughta be interesting." Jacqueline chuckled.

"You also get to meet the child who bears his name. Van and Eveline named their son Treize. Asked me to be his mentor if he turns out to be Garou, since he was born during a half moon." Duo nodded.

"Sounds like a smart idea. Remember to teach him how useful the other auspices are to a peacekeeper~" Jacqueline rolled her eyes and nodded.

"I'm not you and Kyoko, Duo. I remember things." There was an indignant protest of 'HEY!' from the green-haired girl who was carrying more luggage than she looked like she could. Duo just shrugged and smiled.

It took a good hour, but eventually everything was settled for the Maxwell family. The two children were kept busy listening to stories of Bai and Stick's adventures in the wide world, while Duo and Hilde were led to what looked like a small library. A woman who could have very easily passed for a younger Jacqueline, save for the bright blue eyes, moved over to them from her place in front of one of the bookcases.

"Duo! It's good to see you again." She looked to Hilde. "And I finally get to meet the lovely Hilde. A pleasure to meet you, I'm Eveline Khushrenada." Hilde smiled and took the hand Eveline offered as Duo nodded at the woman.

"Hilde Maxwell. It's nice to meet you. And thank you for being willing to take us in." Eveline shook her head.

"It's no trouble. I've grown up around Garou, so I know how dangerous it can be for the non-Garou. We're all best off in groups. Strength in numbers and all that." Hilde nodded, then looked over as a man with lighter blonde hair, though not the white-blonde of Eveline and Jacqueline, walked over. The man smiled slightly at Hilde and Duo.

"I'm Van Khushrenada. A pleasure to meet you Duo and Hilde." He motioned to a pre-teen boy who had been writing at a desk. "And this is my son Treize." The boy walked over, and Duo blinked.

"Wow...except for the eyebrows, kiddo, you look like a kiddie version of your uncle." The boy perked up.

"Aunt Une says that as well. He wasn't as bad a man as the history books try to make him out to be." Duo nodded.

"I know. If nothing else, there's a number of good people who know the truth about him and what he was trying to do." He looked to Eveline and Van again. "So, anyone else here besides us?" Eveline nodded.

"Kyoko's father has been holed up with our chef since he arrived a few hours ago. Stick's colony declined the protection. Shadow's Kinfolk pack is already under the watch of her father's pack, and Ming will be bringing her family with her once she arrives with Eyes." Duo nodded.

"Well...since I know now...I'm going to go bug the hell out of Kyoko's Dad! Last time I saw him, he said he was working on something new, and I never got to taste it!" And off the braided ex-pilot went, humming some obnoxious tune. Hilde sighed and shook her head, eveline giggling and patting her shoulder.

"You are a strong woman with a great deal of love to put up with Duo daily." Hilde smiled slightly.

"Maybe. I like to think it's because I can't stand up to that smile of his."


	3. The Silk Road

**Author's Notes:** .x; I swear, for those of you who are lost on what is what...things will be explained piece by piece later. XD; Because there will be characters who aren't 'in the know' who will have to become 'in the know'. 3 Just a warning - Though I will be pulling from Frozen Teardrop for background info (such as Heero and Treize's parentage), THIS DEVIATES FROM FROZEN TEARDROP. Big time. Heero was never frozen, etc.

**Disclaimer:** Gundam Wing belongs to Sunrise, Sotsu, Bandai, etc. Old World of Darkness belongs to White Wolf. Bai Mianxi, Kyoko Tenno-Akarui, Stick/Konbou Sosou, Jacqueline Courcel, Zhuǎ Mìngyùn, Ashoka, Mountain's Eyes, Shadow's Songs, Eveline Khushrenada, Treize Khushrenada the Second, Morwen, and Glen are my brain babies.

**The Black Road**

by KaidaPoi

Chapter Three: The Silk Road

_She couldn't breath. No matter how she tried, how shallow or deep, she just couldn't breath! Darkness and rot and acid clawed at her throat and lungs, accompanied by the sickly pale green of balefire._

_**MING!**__ Hearing her name shattered the darkness, pulled her out of it and into the world of the waking._

A Chinese girl in her early twenties sat upright in the backseat of the car she was in, gasping for breath. A rather plain-looking Indian man, the driver of the car, looked back to her. He'd pulled over to the shoulder and had the car idling.

"Zhuǎ Mìngyùn, status." The young woman met his gold eyes with her own dark brown and fell into old habits from what she called 'the old days'.

"Functional. A bit out of breath. No injuries, no Umbral influence. Spooked by a dream. Did I stop breathing while I was sleeping, Ashoka?" The man nodded.

"That's how I knew something was wrong. Was it a gift from the Wani, the dream?" Ming's eyes grew darker with worry.

"I pray not, zhànyǒu. Come on...let's go. Did my family and Eyes stop with us?" Ashoka nodded and motioned to the minivan and SUV parked behind them. "Right. I'll let them know we're moving again. How much longer until we reach Eveline's?" She got a cell phone out and sent the two drivers of the other vehicles a text while Ashoka started driving again.

"About two hours. Jacqueline called while you were sleeping, before the nightmare. She, Kyoko, Bai, Stick, Kid, and Duo are already there." Ming nodded, sitting in the back seat properly now.

"Good. That just leaves us two and Eyes, and Shadow. And knowing Shadow, she'll be there around the same time we show up." The Indian man nodded, and turned his full attention back on the road.

"When we get there...you'll have to tell us all about the dream. In case it is from the Wani. You are Zhong Lung. Dreams are not just dreams." Ming sighed.

"I know...I know far too well, zhànyǒu."

The house was just as Eveline had described it. Ming smiled at the sight, relaxing a little. Her family would be safe here. Ashoka pulled the car up to where it needed to be, turning the vehicle off and stepping out with Ming. The other two vehicles stopped behind them, and people started filing out. A lithe woman who looked vaguely Korean walked over to Ming and Ashoka, her silver-gray eyes looking over the place.

"It's well-defensible." Ashoka smiled wryly.

"Exactly what I was thinking, Eyes." Ming rolled her eyes, then perked up as a shaggy timber wolf bitch walked up to them, nodding as she stopped next to them. The Chinese girl ran a hand through the wolf's neck fur.

"Hello Shadow. I thought you'd get here around the same time we did." The wolf shifted and changed, becoming a striking looking woman with piercing ice blue eyes, wearing nothing but a black tank top and pleated black skirt that reached her knees.

"I know you all well enough to time things. Now, let us go in. We have yet to meet Eveline's mate, yes?" The vaguely Korean woman nodded.

"Yes. I'd like to meet this 'Van'. Eveline and Jacqueline spoke highly of him, depsite his health problems."

While a rather large Chinese family worked to get luggage out and things organized, the four sentai members went inside. The first sight that greeted them was three children running by and two teenagers chasing after them, laughing. Ming giggled, trying to stifle the noise by putting a small hand over her mouth.

"It would seem Kyoko and Kid haven't changed a bit. And I would suspect the older boy of the children is Eveline's son." Eyes nodded, then bowed as Jacqueline came up to the group. The white-haired woman smiled slightly.

"Mountain's Eyes, Shadow's Songs, Zhuǎ Mìngyùn, Ashoka. It is good to see you four again. I just wish it could be under peaceful circumstances." Shadow snorted, brushing her curtain of thin black braids back.

"Peace is an illusion, Alpha. Now...let us leave Ming's Kinfolk to yours, so we may gather and speak of why you are calling us together again." Jacqueline sighed and nodded, motioning to a member of the house staff to retrieve her sister.

"Always to the point...typical Red Talon." Shadow snorted and started forward as Jacqueline made her way to a study. "The others are already waiting. Well...except for Kyoko and Kid. KYOKO. KID. MEETING." Her voice was sharp and clear, and the two teenagers easily fell into step with the group.

The study they were led to was well-furnished, and large enough to hold the group of ten. Bai and Stick waved to the arrivals from the couch they were curled up on, while Duo grinned at them from the chair he was on, turned around so he could rest his arms on the back. Shadow took a seat next to Bai and Stick with Eyes next to her, Kyoko pulled a chair up next to Duo, Kid sat on the floor at the feet of Bai, and Jacqueline took the chair next to the couch Bai and Stick were on. Ming settled herself cross-legged on the floor in front of Jacqueline, while Ashoka stood at Jacqueline's left. The white-blonde woman sighed.

"We can no longer act as if these are times of peace, my friends. The Silk Road Sentai is at war again. The Wyrm seeks to strike at us. We do not know what form exactly it takes, but we have been called into action by someone who recognizes the taint of the Wyrm for what it is. You remember Director Une, Duo?" Duo nodded, chuckling nervously.

"How can I NOT remember the woman. Even after we started getting along, and after my First Change...the woman STILL spooks me." Jacqueline smirked.

"Yes. Well she is the one who has called us. A terrorist organization calling themselves 'The Black Road' has cropped up. There's one problem, however. Over half of the men and women that have been captured from this group are fomori and Black Spirals. Une made sure all evidence of what they truly were was erased from all but the proper files and sent the information directly to me. Because, boys and girls, we are the best she knows. And having Duo helps. We can always say he was reactivated, if we have issues getting into places." She was silent a moment, letting her voice rest before speaking again. "Our goal is to find out everything we can. We must find out if the Wyrm is simply taking advantage of an already existing group, or if the Wyrm is at the heart of this. Either way, we are to find a way to destroy this group, and either do it ourselves, or give the Preventers the information to be able to do so." The group was silent for a few minutes, the group absorbing the information.

Kyoko broke the silence. "Bring it on." There was a hard glint in her brown eyes. "When the time comes to kick ass, point me in the right direction and I'll tear a pathway for ya'll." Ming nodded.

"We are hengeyokai, even those of us born to the Sunset Folk." Duo grinned darkly.

"Look out Wyrm. Shinigami's back on Earth." Ashoka actually chuckled and crossed his arms.

"We shall rectify this imbalance." Eyes and Shadow exchanged a look and stood, Shadow speaking for them.

"We shall fight." Kid smiled widely.

"The Wyrm's minions will not be able to stand up against us!" Bai looked to Stick.

"Shall we pull off another great trick?" Stick nodded.

"Yes, we shall." Jacqueline nodded.

"I am glad we are in agreement. I shall let Une know we are on the case. We'll need to be careful. Duo has friends who do not know about his status as Garou, and a few of them work for the Preventers. We cannot risk breaking the Veil with this lot. You all know who Duo was during the Ever Wars. Two of those friends of his were fellow Gundam Pilots, and exposed to the ZERO system. There is the high likelihood they are immune to the Veil." Duo nodded.

"I wouldn't put it past 'Ro and Wu-man to be immune. They're both tough sons of bitches, but they don't need connected to me by the Wyrm. Not only do I not want to test whether they're able to hold their own against a fomor or Black Spiral, 'Ro's got a kid. And Kat's a sweet girl who shouldn't have to worry about the war we fight." Bai nodded.

"Yes. And Prince Inari would never forgive us if a kit was hurt due to our actions." Kyoko thought for a moment as the others talked, then grinned.

"Minimum age for Preventers is now eighteen, right?" Jacqueline raised a brow and nodded. "Why not have one of us join? Someone not Duo. Then, we'd have an active 'in' and active communication with Director Une without raising suspicion! AND we'd get access to any resources they have!" Jacqueline looked Kyoko up and down, then sighed. The eighteen-year-old's body language was that of someone getting ready to raise their hand.

"I suspect you want to volunteer?" The green-haired girl nodded vigorously. "Fine. I will talk to Une about it. Remember, you will HAVE to behave. If it does not get in the way of the investigation or termination of The Black Road, your superiors there ARE YOUR ALPHAS." Kyoko cringed at that.

"I know! I'm better now, I promise! I'm able to keep my Rage under control now!" Jacqueline nodded.

"I know. I will speak with Une after this meeting." Jacqueline looked to Ming, who had raised her hand slightly. "Yes?"

"I had a dream on the way here that needs to be shared." And she told them of the blackness and balefire that had held her captive in her dream, of the inability to breath and the fact it took a fellow servant of the Wani to break her out of the dream. "It wasn't clear, beyond those things but...with The Black Road having Black Spirals and fomori, I thought it even more imperative to share." Jacqueline and Bai both nodded, Bai speaking this time.

"Yes. I shall investigate this with Eyes and Kid. Between the three of us, with maybe some help from you, we can figure this out." Ming nodded, relief in her dark brown eyes. Jacqueline stood.

"Meeting adjourned. I will talk with Une, and Kyoko…" The werewolf perked up. "Remember that if she agrees to this, you CANNOT mention you know Duo. At all. It is imperative his former comrades do not know he is Garou." Kyoko nodded, then watched as people started filing out. Then she looked to Duo, who had begun to stand up.

"Hey Duo…got any pointers for the soon-to-be-newbie?" The ex-pilot nodded and sat down again.

"In fact, I do."

**Translations**

(These will not always be perfect, since they'll often come from langauges I cannot speak/am unfamiliar with. If I frak something up, PLEASE let me know!)

**zhànyǒu** - Mandarin Chinese for 'comrade-in-arms / battle companion'


	4. Puppy

**Author's Notes:** This one turned out...interesting. I was expecting Duo or Bai to take over in this one, with their rather forceful personalities...instead Kyoko took center stage and keeps it. You also get introduced to a character who has not left my head since I started this story. XD;

Just a warning - Though I will be pulling from Frozen Teardrop for background info (such as Heero and Treize's parentage), THIS DEVIATES FROM FROZEN TEARDROP. Big time. Heero was never frozen, etc.

**Disclaimer:** Gundam Wing belongs to Sunrise, Sotsu, Bandai, etc. Old World of Darkness belongs to White Wolf. All OCs that show up are my brain babies.

**The Black Road**

by KaidaPoi

Chapter Four: Puppy

It took everything she was to hold back. And make it look like she wasn't. Kyoko couldn't be the 'pint-sized punchbuggy' here...the sort of strength she had, even in her homid form, was beyond human and would draw suspicion. It was also very, VERY hard to not give the training instructor some memorable bruises...maybe a scar or two...

Sergeant Major Chang was a misogynistic bastard who, unfortunately, was damn good at his job and was still fair. How he managed that, Kyoko wasn't sure. But the way he talked to her just pissed her off. DAMN she was glad she was so much better at keeping her Rage in control than she was even two years ago. Last thing the sentai and Une needed was her blowing her cover. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, which she'd had to stop dying. Her natural black was definitely showing. Of course, it didn't help that she kept it religiously short...cut to chin-length every month, keeping it out of her way. She flopped on the grass in the park attached to the apartment complex she was now staying in, taking pleasure in the small comfort of Gaia in the midst of the city.

"Hi! I've never seen you before!" Kyoko started, opening her eyes and staring at the grinning girl above her. No Wyrm-taint. Though there was something different about her.

"I've been really busy. I joined the Preventers a couple of months ago, and combined with errands and stuff...I haven't had much time to myself until recently." She sat up as the girl made a seat in front of her. "My name's Kyoko Akarui, what's yours?"

"Katrina Yuy! If you're a Preventer, you probably know my Otou-san and Uncle 'Fei!" Kyoko blinked, brown eyes widening a little. There was only ONE Preventer she had heard of with the surname 'Yuy'. And Heero Yuy was the epitome of a field agent, the sort of person most field agents aspired to be but knew they couldn't reach. The 'Uncle 'Fei' she was clueless on.

"Well...if your Otou-san is who I'm thinking of, I do know OF Heero Yuy. I've never met him, though. Not sure if I've met your Uncle 'Fei, though." Katrina giggled.

"Yup, that's my Otou-san. And of course you know my uncle! He's the training instructor." Kyoko was flabbergasted again.

"Your uncle is Chang?" The girl nodded, as an all-too-familiar voice to Kyoko came from behind her.

"That's Sergeant Major Chang, Akarui." Kyoko cringed as Katrina waved.

"I'm not on duty, though, sir!" Gaia's teeth! She turned, reigning her temper in. Though the unexpected nature of the 'visit' caused the Rage to flash through her eyes before she could fully reign it in...something that had the Chinese man who was her training instructor turning wary. The vaguely Japanese man next to him also went wary, Prussian blue eyes hardening. Kyoko noticed it, and resisted the urge to grin. So even the big bad Yuy and Chang could be put on guard by an Ahroun. "This is my day off." And she planned to spend it relaxing a little before she had to meet up with the rest of the sentai, to check in.

"She has you there, Uncle 'Fei! You're not supposed to pull rank off duty unless it's an emergency." Kyoko adored Katrina right then. Chang looked rather irrate at that, but nodded. Katrina grinned, and the next words out of her mouth were unexpected by all three adults. "Can she come with us to the beach, Otou-san?" Three pairs of eyes looked to Katrina with surprise, while Yuy and Chang started to frown. Before either man could say anything, Kyoko shook her head.

"Sorry kiddo, but I'll have to pass on that. I have friends to meet up with today. And I haven't seen them in WEEKS." Katrina nodded in understanding, and when she wasn't looking, Kyoko gave Yuy a sympathetic look. He nodded in gratitude; she'd just saved him having to convince his daughter why it was bad to drag a stranger along on a family outing. Kyoko stood up. "Well, I'd best be going. It was nice meeting you, Katrina. And it was nice seeing you off duty, Chang, Yuy." She trotted off, and sighed once out of hearing range. She so would have liked a trip to the beach. And maybe try and figuring out what that...oddness about Katrina was.

A couple of hours later had Kyoko flopped across most of a couch in the study the sentai had first met in upon arrival in New Port City, head in Kid's lap as he pouted and ran his fingers through her blackening hair.

"You're so pretty in green. It's not fair." Kyoko laughed.

"Don't worry 'bout it, Kid. Once this is over, it'll be green again." Kid still pouted, and Jacqueline rolled her eyes, seated in the same chair she had been from the meeting. The others of the sentai were scattered about the study, close enough to hear or speak.

"Report, Kyoko." Kyoko took a breath before starting.

"We are definitely NOT dealing with a coincidence, guys. I visited the locations Une had said were the safehouses for those they've captured so far. Every single one, even the ones where no fomor or Black Spirals were captured, REEKED of the Wyrm. Without a doubt, The Black Road is founded, funded, and run by the Wyrm's minions." Jacqueline's frown spoke volumes.

"Then we cannot leave the Preventers to deal with this alone. Boys and girls, this is officially our mission. I will contact Une, so she can start getting things shuffled around. Kyoko, you will remain in the Preventers as our liason and informational contact. You will continue as normal. And I commend you for holding your Rage in check." Jacqueline looked to Duo, Bai, and Stick.

"You three are our most cunning and sneaky. Information gathering outside of the Preventers' reach is your task. We need to know where they recruit from, how far down the roots of this run, and how widespread it has become. Kid, Eyes, Ming...you three are our eyes in the spirit world. Ashoka and Shadow, you will join me in compiling the information gathered, putting together the larger picture and forming a strategy. Does everyone understand their roles?" There was a rousing chorus of 'yes' in four different languages. "Very well than." She stood...and looked to Kyoko curiously when the teenager raised her hand. "What is it?"

"I met the daughter of the top Preventer field agent today, Jacqueline." Duo's attention was on Kyoko rather quickly. "There's something...odd about her. Not even the smallest taint of the Wyrm on her, so I know it isn't that but...I don't know. It's familiar almost."

"If you're talking about who I think you are, leave her alone." Kyoko blinked and looked to Duo, curious.

"Katrina Yuy? I don't intend to drag her into anything, Duo. I just want to see what that weirdness is." Duo looked torn, but sighed and nodded. When Kyoko's attention was snagged, it was snagged.

"Just...be careful. Her parents are among those I call 'friend'. And they're also ones who CAN'T know about what I really am. Especially her mother." Kyoko placed a hand on her comrade's shoulder and nodded.

"I'll be careful, Shini. So...is Sergeant Major Chang a friend of yours too?" Duo nodded, then laughed when Kyoko groaned.

"Got him for training huh? Don't worry...he's not as bad a guy as he wants others to believe." Her look of disbelief had him laughing. "I'm serious! He's a trainer because he cares, in his own twisted way. You probably intimidate him. He may not have a clue about Garou, but someone with as much training as him would be blind if they couldn't tell you were born to fight and kill." Kyoko nodded and sighed.

"And that's part of why I want to know what it is about Katrina that's so DIFFERENT, Duo." She looked bewildered. "She...she wasn't intimidated, or scared, or wary of me. Not in the least. Shini, you have it easy because you're a Ragabash, a New Moon. Me...I'm an Ahroun, born Full Moon with full Rage. Most humans will never really be comfortable around me. Nor will most animals." The braided ex-pilot sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid.

"You've got friends and people to call family, Puppy. You have us in the sentai, and Jackie's family. And one day, you'll find something like what me 'n' Hil have. I promise."

**Translations**

Nothing this time around.


End file.
